Positive two-hand control



m. 19,1935. 1 E, DAWS- 1,991,598

POSITIVE TWO-HAND CONTROL Original Filed July so, 1950 2 Sheets$heet 1INVENTOR. M 9m ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 19,1935. A s 1,991,598

POSITIVE TWO-HAND CONTROL Original Filed July so, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 21 N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFI CE Prosperity CompanyInc.,

Syracuse, N. Y., a

corporation of New York A Application July 30, 1830, Serial No. 471,828

Renewed June 6,

11 Claims. (oi. 121-30 This invention relates to pressing machines, suchas garment, ironing or laundry presses, and particularly to two-handcontrol mechanism for such pressing machines.

The principal object of the invention is to devise a control mechanismwhich will require the operator to use both hands to eifect closing ofthe press, and to hold both hands on the control devices until thepressing elements have come together.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical connectionbetween the press operating mechanism and the valve or manualscontrolling the supply of working fluid so that the valve or manualswill be moved to initial position to cut oif the supply of working fluidto the motor and prevent the escape of working fluid from the motorafter the pressing elements have come together, thus locking the pressclosed.

Other objects and-advantages of the invention will appear and will bepointed out as the description proceeds. The invention consists in thenovel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter setforth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts and allthe views.

Figure 1 is a sideelevation, partly broken away, of a pressing machineto which the invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a schematic vimmostly in section, of the operating motor andthe controlling means therefor.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the working fluid valve shown in Figure2.

- Figure 4 is a front elevation of the valve shown in Figure 3.

My invention is designed primarily for use on garment or ironing pressesor pressing machines having an opening and closing movement.. With suchmachines it is desirable, as a safety precaution, to require theoperator to use bothhands to effect a closing of the press and torequire him to hold his hands on the control mechanism until thepressing elements or jaws are substantially together and there is nolonger any danger of his getting a hand between the pressing elements.It is desirable that the press should be locked in closed position, andthis is ordinarily donev by holding the working fluid'supply valve openafter the press has closed.

The novel means for accomplishing the locking, according to thisinvention, may be applied to a conventional pressing machine having apressing head 11, which is secured to a yoke 12, which is mounted at 13on a pressing machine frame 14. The pressing head 11 is movable into andout of contact with a fixed pressing element or buck 15, supported by aneck 16 which is mounted on the frame 14 of the pressing machine. Anoperating link 20 is pivoted to the yoke 12 at 21, and is pivoted at 22to a bell crank 23. The bell crank 23 is pivotally mounted at 25 on thepressing machine frame 14. The upstanding arm of the bell crank 23 andthe link 20 form a. toggle. A spring 27, which is connected at its upperend to the pressing machine frame 14 and at its lower end to theforwardly extending arm of the bell crank 23 normally holds the togglebroken. A motor, such as the fluid motor 30, is oscillably mounted at 32to the pressing machine frame 14. A piston rod 34 of the fluid motor 30is connected at its lower end to a yoke member 35, which is pivotal- 1yconnected at 36 to the bell crank lever 23. Operation-ofthe fluid motor30 rocks the bell crank lever 23 counter-clockwise in Figure 1 tostraighten the toggle formed by the link and upstanding arm of the bellcrank lever 23. This straightening of the toggle moves the yoke 12 tobring the pressing head 11 into contact with the buck 15 to 'close thepress. The mechanism thus far described is of the conventional yp wellunderstood by those skilled in the art, and forms no part per se of thepresent invention.

The fluid motor 30 is of the single acting type and includes a cylinder40 containing a piston 42 which is rigidly secured to the piston rod 34.Working fluid is supplied to, and exhausts from, the cylinder 40 througha pipe 44. The pipe 44 is connected by a pipe 46 with a valve casing 48.The valve casing 48 contains preferably a rotary valve 50 which issecured to an operating shaft 51 by suitable means, such as a key 52.The operating shaft 51 extends through the side of the valve casing 48and is actuated by an operating crank 54. A link 58 is pivotallyconnected at 56 to the operating crank 54. The link 58 extends t ugh anopening 60 in an arm 62 formed on the yoke 35. An adjustable stop member64 is mounted on the lower end of the link 58 and held in adjustedposition by a nut 66, which is threaded on the end of the link 58. Aspring 68 is mounted on the link 58 above the stop member 64.

Operating crank 54 is pivotally connected at '70 to an operating member72. The operating member '12 has a pivotal connection at '14 preferablyto the midpoint of a cross link or whiilietree 75. The operating member'12 passes through a bracket '13, which is connected to the pressing 5When the operating mechanism has moved far machine frame 14. A spring73a, mounted on the operating member '72 between the bracket '73 and ashoulder 73b of the operating member '72, urges the operating member '72to the left in Figure 2 so that the valve 50 is normally held ininoperative position. Operator-operated devices, including handles 7'7and 78 mounted on bell cranks '79 and 80, are connected at spaced pointsto the whiiiletree 75 for operating the same and the operator-operateddevices must both be held in operated position at the same time in orderto move the valve 50 far enough to open or eifectively open the valve.The-whiiiietree connection to the valve 50 is such that the movement ofone operator-operated device alone is insufllcient to effectivelyoperate the valve. The bell crank 79 is pivoted at 82 to the pressingmachine frame and astop bracket 81 limits the movement of the bell crank'79. The bell crank 80 is pivotally connected at 84 to the press machineframe 14 and a stop bracket 85 limits the movement of the bell crank 80.The whifi'ietree '75 passes through openings 8'7 and 88 in the ends ofthe bell cranks '79 and 80. respectively. The whiiiietree '75 I fitsloosely in these openings 8'7 and 88 and movement of either of thehandles '77 and '78, without operating the other handle, will cause thewhiilietree to pivot about the opening in the bell crank of theunoperatedhandle, the pivotal connection '74 not being moved a'sufficient distance to turn the rotary valve 50 into operative position.

Working fluid, such as air, is supplied through a fluid supply line 92to the valve casing 48. The rotary valve 50 is provided with a passageor conduit 94, which may be moved into the dotted line position, shownin Figure 2 to establish connection between the fluid supply line 92 andthe pipe 46. When such communication is established, working fluid willflow from the fluid supply line 92 through the conduit 94 in the valve50, pipe 46 and pipe 44 t0 the cylinder 40 of the fluid motor 80, tooperate the motor to close the press.

enough to bring the pressing elements or jaws 11, 15 substantially intocontact, the piston 42 and piston rod 34 will have moved down, in Figure2, until the arm 62 comes into contact with the spring 68. Upon furthermovement of the arm 62 the valve 50 will be moved back into its initialposition by the link 58 which forms a mechanical connection from the arm82 to the valve operating crank 54. The movement .of the valve 50 willforce the handles '77 and '78 back into inoperative position and thussignal the operator that the press is locked and that it is no longernecessary for him to keep his hands on the handles. The spring 68permits some freedom of adjustment of the stop member 64 so that the arm62 may occupy various positions, when thepress is closed, depending onthe play in the operating mechanism, on the thickness of the workbetween the pressing elements, or the degree of depressions of thepadding on the buck. Thevalve 50 when returned to initial inoperativeposition cuts of! the pipe 46 so that working fluid cannot escape fromthe motor and the press is thus locked closed.

By virtue of the link 58, which thus forms a mechanical connectionbetween the press operating mechanism and the fluid supply valve 50, thepress automatically locks itself in closed position. To open the pressthe operator will actuate a release handle which is pivoted at 101 to avalve casing 102 containing an exhaust valve 103, which is normally heldclosed by a spring 104. Opening of the exhaust valve 103 permits workingfluid to exhaust from the cylinder 40, through the pipe 44,-pipe 108,valve casing 102, and around open exhaust valve 103.

Soon after the piston 42 and piston rod 34 begin to move upwardly in thecylinder '40, the arm 62 will move away from the spring 68 and the link58 will no longer hold the valve 50 in position. The spring 73a willhold the parts in position, however, until the handles '77 and '78 areagain operated.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have devised anovel two-hand control mechanism for a pressing machine in which thecontrol valve is restored to initial inoperative position during thefinal closing movement of the press, by means of a mechanical connectionbetween the valve and the press operating mechanism, and the press thuslocked closed.

The two-hand control mechanism described is also a positive two-handcontrol because one of the manuals cannot be tied down in operatedposition and the press operated by the other manual. This positivetwo-hand constructionresults from the two manuals '7'7 and '78, eachhaving a substantially fixed extent of movement, and the valve orcontrol means 50 requiring the movement of both manuals to move thevalve or single control 50 to operative position and restoring meanswhich is actuated by the operating mechanism and connected with themanuals to return each manual through its fixed extent of movement toinitial position- The restoring means comprises a restoring member, suchas the link 58, which is connected with the manuals '7'7 and '78 andmovable upon actuation of the manuals into a position to be engaged bythe operating mechanism or some part thereof such as the bracket 60.Upon the operating 'mechanism engaging therestoring member 58, themanuals "7'7 and '78 are retumedto initial position.

If one manual should be tied downin an attempt todefeat the two-handcontrol, upon the press being operated the bracket 60 would engage thespring 68 and force the link 58 downwardly, which movement transmits tothe manuals a return movement having an extent equal to or substantiallyequal to the operative or downmoving the valve 50 to operative positionuntil the bent or broken part is repaired.

In the particular and preferred positive twohand control mechanismdescribed herein, the restoring means, represented by the bracket 80,and the link 58 are connected to the single control or control means50so that the positive return of the manuals 7'7 and '78v also returnsthe valve 50 to initial position and pockets a charge of air in themotor 30 to hold the press in closed position. Other holding means forretaining the press in closed position is contemplated in the broaderaspect of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in preferred em bodiment, but variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing. from the spiritof the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a garment or laundry pressing machine, in combination, cooperativepressing elements and operating mechanism therefor including a fluidmotor means; valve means controlling the flow of working fluid to themotor means; a whiffletree connected at its center to the valve means;operator operated devices at each end of the whiflletree so thatoperation of both operator-operated devices at the same time will movethe center of the whiflietree to operate the valve means to supplyworking fluid to the motor; means tending to restore the valve means toinoperative position upon release of either or both of theoperator-operated devices; and a mechanical connection between theoperating mechanism and the valve means for restoring the valve means toinoperative position when the operating mechanism moves intoclosed-press position.

2. In a garment or laundry pressing machine, in combination, cooperativepressing elements and operating mechanism therefor including a fluidmotor means; valve means controlling the flow of working fluid to themotor means; an operating member connected to the valve means; meansnormally holding the operating member and valve means in inoperativeposition to cut off the supply of working fluid to the motor; a pair ofoperator-operated devices and means requiring the operation of both ofsaid operatoroperated devices in order to actuate the valve means tomove the valve into operative positicn to supply working fluid to themotor; restoring means for moving the valve means into inoperativeposition upon release of either operator-operated devices;'and amechanical connection between the operating mechanism and the valvemeans for moving the valve means and the oporator-operated devices intoinoperative position after operation of the operating mechanism to closethe press.

3. In a garment or laundry pressing machine, in combination, cooperativepressing elements and operating mechanism therefor including a fluidmotor means; valve means controlling the flow of working fluid to themotor means; an operating member connected to the valve means; meansnormally holding the operating member and valve means in inoperativeposition to cut off the supply of working fluid to the motor; a

pair of operator-operated devices and means requiring the operation ofboth of said operatoroperated devices in order to actuate the valvemeans to move the valve into operative position to supply working fluidto the motor; restoring means for moving the valve means intoinoperativeposition upon release of either operatoroperated devices; a mechanicalconnection between the operating mechanism and the valve means formoving the valve means and the oporator-operated devices intoinoperative position to lock the press closed after operation of theoperating mechanism to close the press; and means to release workingfluid from the motor and unlock the press.

4. In a garment or laundry pressing machine, in combination, cooperativepressing elements and operating mechanism therefor including'a fluidmotor means; valve means controlling the flow of working fluid to themotor means; an operating member connected to the valve means; meansnormally holding the operating member and valve means in inoperativeposition to cut off the supply of working fluid tothe motor; a pair ofoperator-operated devices; abutment means limiting the movement of eachoperator-operated device; a whiflietree connected at its ends to therespective operator-operated devices; means connecting the midpoint ofthe whimetree to the operating member of the valve means so thatoperation of both of said operator-operated devices at the same timewill move the midpoint oi the whiffltree to actuate the valve means toove the valve into operated position to supply orking fluid to the motorand return movement of the valve means to initial position will forceboth of the operator-operated devices to initial inoperative position; amechanical connection between the operating mechanism and the valvemeans for moving the valve means into initial inoperative position toout off the supply of working fluid to the motor while the working fluidin the motor holds the press in closed position; means for releasing theworking fluid from the motor and means. for operating the operatingmechanism to open the press when the' working fluid is released from themotor.

5. In a garment or laundry pressing machine,

in combination, cooperative pressing elements, operating mechanismtherefor including motor means to close the press, and means to open thepress upon release of working fluid in the motor means, valve meanscontrolling the supply of working fluid to the motor means, said valvemeans when in inoperative position retaining the working fluid in themotor means, a pair of manuals operatively connected to the valve meansand each manual having a flxed extent of movement, the movement of bothmanuals being necessary to move the valve means tooperative position,means engaged by the pressoperating mechanism upon closing of the. Pressand 'connected with the valve-means to restore the latter and bothmanuals to inoperative position thereby retaining the press in closedposition and cutting off the supply of working fluid to the motor means,and means to release the working fluid in the motor-means to open the.press.

6. In a garment or -laundry pressing machine,

in combination, cooperative pressing elements, operating'mechanismtherefor including motor means to close the press, and means to open thepress upon release of working fluid in the motor means, valve meanscontrolling the supply of working fluid to the .motor means, said valvei means when in inoperative position retaining the working fluid in themotor means, a pair of manuals operatively connected to the valve meansand each manual; having a fixed extent of movement, the movement of bothmanuals being necessary to move the valve means to operative operatingmechanism therefor including motor means to close the press,-and meansto open the press upon release of working fluid in the motor means,valve means controlling the supply of working fluid to the motor means,said valve means retaining the working fluid in the motor means whenreturned to initial position, a pair of operator-operated meansoperatively connected to the valve means and to ,each other whereby bothoperator-operated means must be operated in order to actuate the valvemeans, means engaged by the press operating mechanism upon closing ofthe press and connectedwith the valve means to restore the latter toinoperative position thereby retaining the press in closed position andcutting off the supply of working fluid to the motor means, and means torelease the working fluid in the motor means to open the press. I

8. In a garment or laundry pressing machine, in combination, cooperativepressing elements, operating mechanism therefor including motor means toclose the press, and means to open the press upon release of workingfluid in the motor means, valve means controlling the supply of workingfluid to the motor means, said valve means retaining the working fluidin the motor means when returned to initial position, a pair ofoperator-operated means operatively connected to the valve means and toeach other whereby both operator-operated means must be operated inorder to actuate the valve means,

. means returning the valve means to inoperative position upon return ofthe operator-operated means to initial position, means engaged by thepress operating mechanism upon closing of the press and connected withthe pair of operatoroperated means to restore the latter to initialposition whereby the valve means returns to inoperative position therebyretaining the press in closed position and cutting off the supply ofworking fluid to the motor means, and means to release the working fluidin the motor means to open the press.

9. In a garment or ironing press, in combination, cooperatingpressing'jaws, operating mechanism therefor including motor means toclose the press, a single control connected to a source of power and tothe motor means to actuate the latter, the single control having apredetermined extent of movement necessary to bring it to operativeposition, a pair of manuals connected to the single control and eachhaving a fixed extent of movement, the combined movement of both manualsbeing necessary to move the single control to" operative positionfiandmeans operated by the operating mechanism and connected with the manualsto return each manual to initial position through its fixed extent ofmovement.

10. In a garment or ironing press, in combination, cooperating pressingjaws, operating mechanism therefor includingmotor means to close thepress, a single control connected to a source of power and to the motormeans to actuate the latter, a pair of manuals each having a fixedextent of movement, the manuals being connected together and to thesingle control by a. single connecting means whereby the combinedmovement of both manuals is necessaryto move the single control tooperative position, and means. moved by the operating mechanism adistance proportional to the combined movement of the manuals andconnected to the single connecting means to'positively return eachmanual to its initial position through its fixed extent of movement.

11. In a garment or ironing press, in combina tion, cooperating pressingJaws, operating mechanism therefor including motor means to close thepress, control means connected to a source of power and to the motormeans to actuate the latter, a pair of manuals connected to the controlmeans and each having a fixed extent of movement, the combined movementof each manual being necessary to move the control means to operativeposition, and a restoring member connected with the manuals and movablethereby into a position to be engaged by the operating mechanism uponactuation of each manual to return the manuals to initial position.

12. In a garment or ironing press, in combination, cooperating pressingjaws, operating mechanism therefor including motor means to close thepress, a single control connected to a source of power and to the motormeans to actuate the latter, a pair of manuals connected to the singlecontrol and each having a fixed extent of movement, the combinedmovement of both manuals being necessary to move the single control tooperative position, and a restoring member connected with the singlecontrol and hence connected with the manuals, the restoring memberdevices connected at spaced points to the whiiile-.

tree so that the operator-operated devices must ,be held in operatedposition at the same time in order to operate the valve means far enoughto effectively supply working fluid to the motor means; means tending torestore the valve means to inoperative position upon release of eitheror both of the operator-operated devices; and means operated upon apredetermined extent of movement of the operating mechanism forrestoring the valve means to inoperative position.

14. A garment or ironing press, in combination, cooperating pressingjaws and operating mechanism therefor including a fluid motor means;valve means controlling the flow of working fluid to the motor means; a-whiifletree connected with the valve means; operator-operated devicesconnected at spaced points to the whimetree so that theoperator-operated devices must be held in operated position at the sametime in order to operate the valve means far enough to supply workingfluid to the motor means; means tending to restore the valve means toinoperative position upon release of either or both of theoperator-operated devices; and link means engaged by the operatingmechanism upon a predetermined extent of movement thereof and connectedwith the valve means for restoring the valve I order to operate thevalve means far enough to supply working fluid to the motor means; meanstending to restore the valve means to inoperative position upon releaseof either or both of the operator-operated devices; and link meansengaged by the operating mechanism upon a predetermined extent ofmovement thereof and connected with the operator-operated devices forrestoring the same to initial position.

16. A garment or ironing press, in combination, cooperating pressingjaws and operating mechanism therefor including a fluid motor means;valve means controlling the flow of working fluid to the motor means; awhifiietree connected with the valve means; operator-operated devicesconnected at spaced points to the whiflietree so that theoperator-operated devices must be held in operated position at the sametime in order to operate the valve means far enough to supply workingfluid to the motor means; means tending to restore the valve means toinoperative position upon release of either or both of theoperator-operated devices; and means operated upon a predeterminedextent of movement of the operating mechanism and connected with thevalve means and the operator-operated devices for restoring the same toinoperative position,

1'7. A garment or ironingv press, in combination, cooperating pressingjaws and operating mechanism therefor including a fluid motor means; anintake valve controlling the flow of working fluid to the motor meansand normally in position to prevent flow to or from the motor means; awhiflietree connected with the valve; operator-operated devicesconnected at spaced points to the whiflietree so that theoperatoroperated devices must be held in operated position at the sametime in order to operate the valve far enough to supply working fluid tothe motor means; means tending to restore the valve to inoperativeposition upon release of either or both of the operator-operateddevices; link means operated upon a predetermined extent of movement ofthe operating mechanism for restoring the valve to inoperative positionand pocketing fluid in the motor means and for returning theoperator-operated devices to initial position; and

means to release the fluid from the motor means. 20

ERNEST nAvIs.

